


The Fight Before Xmas

by Absolute_Trash37



Series: STFU ABOUT CHRISTMAS. IT'S OCTOBER [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Holidays, Violence, im sorry, its my revenge okay, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 15:53:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16287467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absolute_Trash37/pseuds/Absolute_Trash37
Summary: The Ghoulies show up again just before Christmas, and The Serpents have another gang war on their hands. Can casualties be prevented or will lives be ruined in the most horrible ways?Christmas has been now officially talked about too often for my liking, so another soul-crushing holiday fic to let out my anger. (Be warned, it's... oof.)





	The Fight Before Xmas

Jughead and Betty heard the roar of a motorcycle approach them, and they knew exactly who's bike was pulling up beside Jughead's. 

“Jughead.” Toni yanked off her helmet as she sprinted over from her bike and The King of the Serpents looked over quickly and worriedly, Toni's cheek was bruised and her lip was split.

“What happened?” Jughead took two fingers and pushed her head to the side so he could get a better angle of the bruise. “Did you go back to your uncle's? Did someone hurt you? Does Cheryl know?”

“She doesn't, and she can't, not yet. The Ghoulies are back and their numbers have grown... a lot. They want the rest of Southside, everything to the train tracks.” Toni was clearly concerned and Jughead looked back at Betty. 

“I'm coming with you,” The blonde declared when she saw the look in Jughead's eyes. “I'm a serpent too!”

“No. We need some of our own safe in Northside, in case things go wrong, we need people to vouch for us. People to keep the family alive. Get to Archie's, wait for Serpents to arrive, then hang tight until I call you.” Jughead started walking back to Betty and he kissed her before he ran to his motorcycle.

“Cheryl will kill you once she finds out,” Jughead warned Toni before he put his helmet on. 

“She'll also come to fight against the Ghoulies, and I don't want her getting hurt.” Toni followed suit before their engines were revved and they were speeding off to the Southside.

It wasn't long after they left that Betty got to Archie's and filled him in. Neither of them wanted to stay put but they knew they'd have to be there for the serpents. 

After five minutes of worrying, Betty's phone rang, and it was Cheryl Blossom (because of course, it had to be).

“Cheryl?” Betty was slightly worried, the red-head only called when she needed something or was in trouble. 

“Hello, Cousin. Have you seen Toni? She didn't come home last night and it's almost dinner now. She hasn't called or answered her phone and Jughead didn't answer his phone either... I'm just worried.” 

“She's okay, Cheryl. I saw her a little while ago, she came to get Jughead and brought him to the Southside.” Betty's face was filled with guilt, but she knew Toni wanted Cheryl kept out of this, and it wasn't the blonde's place to tell her. 

“I wonder why she isn't answering...” Cheryl mused as Betty began to panic. 

“I'm sure it died, or maybe she lost it, look, Cheryl, she's fine, she loves you, and she'll come back. I gotta go.” 

“Thank you, Cousin. Thank you.” Betty hung up and Archie laughs as she sat down with a humph.

Down at the Wyrm, the Serpents were struggling to figure out a game plan, and frankly, Jughead had lost the whole gang. The group was now yelling at each other in a fury. Toni was ready to bash her head into the wall when Jughead grabbed two pans from the bar and climbed on stage. 

He banged the pans together for a solid twelve seconds before everyone finally stopped talking and had their eyes on him. 

“We shouldn't be arguing! Now we can't go after the Ghoulies or the Northsiders will blame us for everything, we need to let the Ghoulies come to us, and we need to fight back as hard as we can!” Jughead took a deep breath. “We might not make it, the Ghoulies have no fear, nothing to lose. And we can't kill them, the only person who dies on their side is Penny. Whoever takes her out might go to jail, we all might, but this is our home, and we're going to fight for it.” 

Toni looked up at Jughead proudly. And Jughead's eyes caught a blur of red hair. “Toni...” The short girl turned around to see Cheryl get to the front of the crowd red jacket and all. 

“You were going to have a gang war without me?” Cheryl accused Toni.

“You shouldn't have! Why didn't you stay at Thorn-hill!?” Toni hugged Cheryl tightly and looked her up and down as if the fight was over.

“You weren't answering and Betty said you were with Jughead and... your face.” Cheryl's voice went from taunting and bubbly to soft and concerned very quickly. 

“I ran into the Ghoulies last night, it's just a bruise.” Cheryl ran her thumb over Toni's lip and kissed her forehead.

“I'm going to rip each and every one of them apart.” Cheryl proclaimed lovingly.

“Okay, no one is allowed to kill, except Cheryl,” Jughead re-declared. “Look, if anyone wants to back out... now would be the time. We might not make it to the morning,” Everyone raised their hands as their fingers made Serpent fangs. “Now let's have a round before we defend our home!” Drinks went around the Wyrm and Jughead noticed the time. 12:04 am. 

“Alright. To the Serpents, Happy Christmas Eve.” They raised their glasses and downed their drinks in a shot. 

“It's our first Christmas, Babe.” Cheryl pointed out sweetly. 

“I know, and it wasn't meant to be spent fighting a gang war. You deserve to be curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace, drinking hot cocoa and watching crappy holiday films. I'm sorry you got dragged into this.” Cheryl smiled at her girlfriend and took Toni's hands in her own.

“What a cruel fate you wish for me.” Cheryl taunted before she looked lovingly and genuinely in Toni's eyes. “I would spend Christmas in a garbage dump, as long as I spent it with you.” Toni smiled and kissed the back of Cheryl's hands.

“You stay safe out there, and promise me that once you run out of arrows, you'll run as fast as you can in the opposite direction.” 

“TT, I'm a Serpent, this is just as much my fight as it is yours.” Toni took a shaky breath. 

“I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt.” Toni's eyes were wide and weary, Cheryl was reminded of a doe's. 

“We're going to get hurt today, Toni, there's no stopping that, but we'll be together, and when the sun comes up, we'll be okay.” Toni moved quickly and kissed Cheryl. 

“I love you,” Toni admitted.

“I can see why. I'm quite the catch.” Toni slapped Cheryl's arm before she tried to walk away. Cheryl pulled Toni back into her arms and kissed her again. “I love you too.” Cheryl was skeptical of those words, she'd only ever loved Jason, and he died. She had said it to both her parents, but it was simply an obligation, they were both monsters. She feared that if she told Toni how she felt, the feisty woman would leave.

At the same time, amidst the fear and worry, Cheryl knew that Toni would never do anything to hurt her, she knew that what they had was real. 

“Jones!” Fangs ran inside. “Ghoulies are coming from the forest.” Jughead nodded and got back up onto the stage. 

“Alright! We will fight, we might fall, but we are NOT letting the Ghoulies take the Wyrm on Christmas!” Jughead yelled. “Now, give 'em hell!” Serpents grabbed knives and sticks and bottles, everything that could be used as a weapon. 

“Where can I set up with my bow?” Cheryl was clearly eager to bring pain to every Ghoulie in that crowd after what they did to Toni.

“Upstairs, there should be a window in the attic that'll give you a pretty good view.” Cheryl nodded and grabbed her things, Jughead leaped off the stage just before she was out of earshot. “Oh, Cheryl!” She turned to face him, “Don't miss.” The red-head smiled and flipped her hair. 

“I never do.” With that, she was gone. As Cheryl made herself comfortable upstairs, The rest of the Serpents charged outside. 

The first hit was made by a Ghoulies, one of Penny's boys right hooked Sweet Pea, and that was the cue for the groups to charge at each other with everything they had.

Cheryl was inside the attic of the Wyrm, firing arrows at every Ghoulie that gave her an opening. 

Even though the crowd wasn't a clump any more, and the fight had spread out, Sweet Pea and Fangs were both struggling as they fought together, Jughead did his best as the other Serpents tried to keep the Ghoulies from getting the upper hand. Toni gotten lost in the crowd and all she could do was keep up the fight as she got swarmed by Ghoulies.

One thing most of the Serpents knew about Toni, was that she could hold her own (she could certainly take one of them out with ease) and she certainly didn't need help when it came to a fight. However, she was surrounded by six Ghoulies, very similarly to the other night. Only this time they didn't take her by surprise. Toni kept using her size to her advantage, she swept her arm behind the knees of two of them, which gave her a little bit of time to deal with the others. She used her knife to slash at them as a scare tactic to keep them back. 

“Braver than you were before, Pinkie. Maybe I can give you a couple other bruises to match that one.” He pointed proudly at her cheek and that's when she realized, that under all the make-up, he was the one who attacked her. 

“I'm not being held down this time.” Toni's tone was cold and held an air of mockery. 

“Fuck you, you rat!” He pulled out a blade far bigger than hers and started to charge towards her angrily. When an arrow sprouted from his neck. Cheryl had saved her. The man collapsed and Toni made a note to give Cheryl an extra kiss for that. But for now, Toni kept fighting. 

The Serpents were doing quite well considering the Ghoulies outnumbered them. Cheryl had joined the ranks after she ran out of arrows, and the fight continued. Blood rained over the grass with every hit, cut or stab that either side made. People dropped like flies, at this point no one could tell if they were dead or exerted too much.

Jughead finally got through all the people that were defending Penny. 

“Penny!” He yelled out angrily, staring the woman down vilely. “You need to stop this, call off your friends and I'll tell mine to stand down too.” 

“Why would I do that, Jonesy, we're winning!” Penny raised her hands at the proclamation.

“You call this winning!? Look around!” Jughead had a point, Ghoulies and Serpents alike lay dead or unconscious on the ground as those who stayed standing were beaten beyond belief, all exhausted, but all still fighting violently. 

“The only ones who are going to win today are those who live. And not many people are, stop this Penny. We can talk it over after we've recovered. But not today.” Penny clenched her jaw and looked how much her numbers had thinned down.

“GHOULIES, BACK TO CAMP!” Penny yelled out in fury. “I'm coming for you, Jones.” She pointed at him angrily. 

“Guys, GUYS! Get back inside, clean each other up, call Archie and Betty and get them to bring medical supplies.” Jughead ordered and the fighting slowly ceased as the Ghoulies started to leave under Penny's orders. One of her goons was going back when she grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Take out the closest one, then run.” Penny pushed him off as the Ghoulies all spread out, making their way back to their camp. Sweet Pea and Fangs made their way to Jughead weakly as everyone else helped the weak or unconscious back inside.

“Cheryl?” Toni was looking around frantically for the red serpent jacket, for her intense, incredible girlfriend. “Cheryl?” Toni continued to look through the dark herd of people. “Cheryl!” Toni rushed over happily through the crowd as she saw her girlfriend move towards them.

“TT, your face...” Cheryl noticed Toni's state as soon as they got close to each other. Toni' had several cuts and bruises, and a trail of blood ran from the corner of her mouth, and the blood from her nose likely came from a hit.

“It's okay, a couple scars maybe, but I'm okay. How'd you get away with just a couple scratches?” Cheryl was in much better condition than Toni, she had a particularly nasty slash on her brow that lead a river of blood to flow down the side of her face, and a split lip, but it was all artificial. 

“Cheryl bombshell, half of them saw me and scattered.” Cheryl held onto Toni tightly. “Let's get inside and get cleaned up, blood is gross and sticky.” 

“Yeah, let's go,” Toni answered softly. “Then we can go back home and give you a proper Christmas. Cheryl turned around, just in time to miss the Ghoulie running at them. 

Toni kissed Cheryl to distract her as the Ghoulie closed the distance.

When the red-head pulled away, she tasted blood, but it wasn't her own. The Serpent had switched their places in the midst of the kiss, just in time to take the injury meant for Cheryl. 

Cheryl couldn't help but scream as Toni coughed and sputtered out blood, getting the attention of Fangs, Jughead, and Sweet Pea, who all ran after the retreating Ghoulie. 

“Sh... Cheryl?” Toni fell limp in Cheryl's arms and the redhead slowly brought them to the ground, her hand keeping Toni's head close. Cheryl might not have been the one who got stabbed, but she looked like she was in the most agonizing pain. 

“What were you thinking!? Why would you do that!?”

“Cheryl...” 

“Shh... shh... Toni, Baby don't talk, save your strength. Don't die, don't you dare die.”Cheryl struggled to put pressure on the wound she couldn't even really see. 

“Who said anything about dying? I'm a badass...” Toni breathed out dozily. “A tired badass, but ssstill a badass.” Cheryl panicked at her continuation.

“NO! Don't you dare fall asleep, Toni Topaz, don't you dare. You stay awake, stay with me, please.” 

“I'm trying... I'm trying...” Toni assured the terrified red-head. Toni lifted up her hand and brushed some hair out of her face, leaving a blood trail behind her fingers. “It's okay... you're going to be okay, Cheryl, it's okay...” Toni prompted as Fangs, Sweet Pea and Jughead raced back over. 

“Ambulances should be on their way.” Sweet Pea declared as he dropped to his knees. “You're not done yet, Tiny T.” He took a shaky breath. As he looked at the girl he considered a little sister. “I still need to walk you down the aisle at your guys' wedding. You're too tough to give up now, you hear me?” Sweet Pea spoke strongly through gritted teeth, clearly trying not to cry. 

“Guys... it's sss... snowing...” Toni was right, the white fluff started to float down gently. 

“Oh, Toni... I'd do anything to switch our places... anything...”

“You can't... I already switched them... cancels each other out and we land back here... here... Cheryl... you shouldn't be here.” Toni was in a daze and was clearly spacing out. 

“I don't care, I am here, I am.”

“You should be home, with Nana Rose... and a cup of tea in front of the fireplace... adding even more decorations to that huge tree... eating cookies... opening the crappy present I got you...” Toni's eyes started to roll into the back of her head as she lost consciousness. 

“NO!” Cheryl yelled while everyone else stood in shock. Cheryl shook Toni's head, even slapped her gently 

“Toni...” Jughead's voice cracked. It was hard for him, Toni was his first friend, his confidant, the person who had been on his side since the beginning, she gave him a safe place.

“TT, Baby, please. Please, wake up!” Cheryl begged and the woman didn't respond, her body was limp. 

“I-I... Toni... it's too soon, Toni, it's too soon... no.” Cheryl cried an ugly, heartbroken series of sobs. It was as if her heart was torn in two, and no one would deny that it had been. 

Ambulances came too late, and all hope was lost for Toni, one of three Serpent casualties that night. 

Cheryl lost hope that night and every night after, for a long time, she was convinced that now, she really was loveless. 

Cheryl opened Toni's present with great caution. A Marquise cut promise ring, with rubies replacing the diamonds. And a note that read “I love you now, I loved you then, I'll love you forever, this is our chance.”

Cheryl contemplated killing herself on more than one occasion. She'd be with Jason and Toni again. She knew they'd get along.

Cheryl wrote a book about their epic, yet far too short love story. It became a best seller. 

She stopped celebrating Christmas, she never wished anyone a Merry Christmas either. Instead, she visited the love of her life every year. Every single time she sobbed just like she did the day she lost Toni as if it were happening all over again.

Cheryl never _ever_ said “I love you” _ever_ again. She didn't dare.

**Author's Note:**

> Falalalala lala la la. I feel mean (no doubt about it, I am mean) but love it or hate it, here we go.


End file.
